condo management Archives

Mortgage Demand Bounces Back After Holiday

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Application Survey, demand for mortgage loans rose 4.9 percent last week from one week earlier. Refinance activity led the way, increasing 10 percent from the previous week. Demand for loans to buy homes was also higher, however, posting a 2 percent increase. But though demand was up, the rebound follows a holiday week that saw sharp declines. “Mortgage application activity rebounded the week following the Columbus Day holiday, but both purchase and refinance levels remained lower than where they were two weeks ago,” Joel Kan, MBA’s AVP of economic and industry forecasting, said. In other words, despite last week’s gains, activity overall has slowed. It may have something to do with climbing interest rates. Last week, average rates rose again. Rates were up across most loan types, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances and loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration. Average rates for 15-year fixed-rate loans were unchanged from one week earlier. The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications.

Most People Say They Have Good Neighbors

There are a lot of things you can tell about living in a particular a house from a quick visit or two. There are even some things you can tell just from driving through the surrounding neighborhood. But, while you can know how much available storage a house has or how new the windows are, you won’t have as easy a time knowing what your prospective neighbors are like and what it’ll be like living next to them. Fortunately, though, most Americans say they have good neighbors. In fact, according to the results of a new survey from the National Association of Realtors’ consumer website, three out of four people said they have good neighbors. That means, more likely than not, you’ll be able to get along with the people living around you. But what exactly makes a neighbor good? Well, respondents said being trustworthy and quiet were the most important qualities in a neighbor and being disrespectful of property was the worst trait a neighbor could have. But while everyone wants to have a good relationship with their neighbors, they don’t necessarily expect to become best friends. Very few participants said a close friendship was a must, with just 9 percent of women saying so and 20 percent of men. More here.

Most Homeowners Say They Love Their House

Sometimes picking a house to buy can cause anxiety. After all, what if you choose the wrong one and aren’t happy living there? What if there are structural or mechanical issues that go undetected and will end up meaning costly renovations? It’s hard to imagine that you could possibly cover all the potential issues in just a few walkthroughs. And so, it’s natural to worry about buyer’s remorse. But, according to a new survey, you might be worrying yourself unnecessarily. That’s because, the results show an overwhelming majority of respondents said they love their current home. In fact, 83 percent of participants said they were happy in their house. To some degree, the responses fell along demographic lines, with people 55 years or older and retirees being the most likely groups to say they love their home and have no plans to move. Respondents between 18 and 34 were more likely to want to move. There were also regional differences. For example, residents in Boston and Detroit were more likely to say they like their current home and would rather renovate than move, while the survey found Los Angeles residents were the most likely to say they’d prefer a new house. More here.

Prices Cuts Rising But Only In Some Neighborhoods

Home prices have been increasing for awhile. But their consistent upward climb is starting to slow, according to new data. In fact, a recent analysis has found the number of home sellers who have reduced their listing price is up from where it was last year. The research shows 17.2 percent of homes for sale reduced their price in August, up from 16.7 percent last year at the same time. That’s encouraging news for hopeful home buyers who have been keeping an eye on affordability conditions. But, though price reductions are at their highest level since 2014, that doesn’t mean every neighborhood is part of the trend. For example, in this case, there are more reductions seen at the higher end of the housing market than in more affordable price brackets. That means, while you may be able to find a better deal in a pricier neighborhood, you may not have as much luck in the more affordable locations popular with entry-level and first-time buyers. That’s why potential home buyers should do some research on their preferred neighborhoods and get an idea of where they’ll be able to get the best deal. More here.

Loans To Buy Homes Up 2% From Last Year

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were up across all loan categories last week, including 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate loans. The increase follows an upward trend that has been driven by economic improvement and a stronger job market. “Rates moved higher last week, driven by strong data on the job market, indicating that the Fed will continue to raise rates,” Joel Kan, an MBA economist, told CNBC. But despite higher rates and a weekly drop in application demand, requests for loans to buy homes is still up over last year, when rates were lower. In fact, the MBA’s Purchase Index is now 2 percent higher than it was a year ago. The improvement, though slight, is a good indication that demand for homes remains strong, even while rates move higher. The MBA’s weekly survey covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications and has been conducted since 1990. More here.

Which Cities Have The Country’s Biggest Houses?

When looking for a house to buy, you aren’t necessarily always looking for the biggest house. After all, the size of the home you choose will be determined, in part, by things like the size of your family, storage needs, how many bathrooms and bedrooms, etc. Mostly, though, it’ll be determined by your budget. Because, when it comes down to it, we all would like a little more space. For that reason, a recent study looked at the largest 45 cities in the country and calculated the median home size and cost per square foot, in an effort to figure out which cities have the biggest homes and which give buyers the most space for the best price. The results show that the South has the biggest homes, with three of the top five cities located in Texas. In fact, Houston was the city with the largest median home size at 1,952 square feet, with Atlanta, Washington DC, Dallas, and Austin rounding out the top five. Southern cities also tend to have a lower price per square foot. For example, while Houston has the biggest homes, the median price per square foot was $100. By comparison, cities like San Francisco, Boston, and Denver have smaller homes but higher prices, mostly due to the fact that the housing stock in those areas is older. More here.

More Americans Think Now’s The Time To Sell

Nearly 80% of Americans say now is a good time to sell a house, according to a recent survey from the National Association of Realtors. This may be good news for buyers. These days, there are more home buyers than there are homes for sale, which is the primary factor causing prices to rise. But rising prices have also caused homeowners to think about the benefits of selling their home. And, if the results of the NAR’s Housing Opportunities and Market Experience survey are any indication, a growing number of them are beginning to consider putting their home on the market. If so, it’ll help provide additional choices for home buyers while also slowing the rate at which prices move upward. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says he believes American homeowners were waiting to see if the gains got any better before making a decision. “With prices having risen so quickly, many consumers were deciding to wait to list their homes hoping to see additional price and equity gains,” Yun said. “However, with indications that buyers are beginning to pull out, price gains are going to decelerate and potential sellers are considering that now is a good time to list and bring more properties to the market.” More here.

New Home Sales Rebound, Up 13% Over Last Year

Sales of newly built single-family homes rose 3.5 percent in August over the month before and are now 12.7 percent higher than they were at the same time one year ago, according to new numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The increase is welcome news at a time when the new home market plays an important role in balancing the overall housing market. Because building new homes is the quickest way to add inventory to markets where too few homes are available for sale, any increase in sales is encouraging, as it can help spur more residential construction which helps moderate prices. The increase was also better than expected. Economists polled prior to the release had predicted sales to be mostly flat in August. Regionally, sales were up in the Northeast, Midwest, and West, with only the South seeing a decline from the month before. However, since the South accounts for a large share of the total new home market, the decline helped hold back more significant gains despite notable improvements in the West and Northeast. More here.

Mortgage Rate Increase Doesn’t Slow Demand

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were up across all loan categories last week, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate loans. The increase continues a trend upward led, in part, by a stronger economy and job market. Joel Kan, an MBA economist, told CNBC that many of the underlying factors showed improvement. “Rates rose last week as investors looked past US-China trade tariffs and towards this week’s Fed meeting,” Kan said. “Treasury yields increased 8 basis points for the week, as the growth outlook for the US remained positive, and data on housing starts and home sales showed a reprieve after a few months of weak results.” But though average rates were up, it didn’t slow demand. In fact, the number of requests for mortgage loans last week rose nearly 3 percent overall, with the Purchase Index 4 percent higher than it was at the same time last year. The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. More here.

Foreclosures Offer Savvy Buyers A Good Deal

After the market crashed, there was a period of time when foreclosed properties were plentiful and savvy buyers and real estate investors seized on the opportunity to get a good house at a bargain price. Naturally, as time went on, the economy improved, foreclosed properties were purchased, and the ability to find a significantly discounted house became more difficult. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still foreclosures available for the buyer or investor that wants to seek them out. In fact, according to a recent report, the foreclosure market is hot and there are a number of places around the country that have repossessed homes for sale at a good price. For example, the top foreclosure markets right now are found in New Jersey, Maryland, Nevada, Delaware, Illinois, South Carolina, and Connecticut. Those states have the highest number of available foreclosures. But that doesn’t mean they necessarily have the best deals. That’s why the report separates volume and profitability. In Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami, and Houston, according to the report, buyers have the greatest possibility of finding a foreclosure at a price that puts them in a position to profit off their purchase. More here.